Alcohol
consumption is measured differently in various data systems.
Monitoring
the Future Study This
school-based survey of secondary school students collects information on
alcohol use using self-completed questionnaires. Information on
consumption of alcoholic beverages, defined as beer, wine, wine coolers,
and liquor, is based on the following question:
"On
how many occasions (if any) have you had alcohol
to drink--more than just a few sips--in the last 30 days?"
Students
responding affirmatively are then asked, "How many times have
you had five or more drinks in a row in the last two weeks?" For
this question, a "drink" means a 12-ounce can (or bottle) of
beer, a 4-ounce glass of
wine, a 12-ounce bottle (or can) of wine cooler,
or a mixed drink or shot of liquor.
National
Health Interview Survey
(NHIS) Starting
with the 1997 NHIS,
information on alcohol consumption is collected
in the sample adult questionnaire. Adult respondents are asked
two screening questions about lifetime alcohol consumption:
"In
any one year, have you had at least 12 drinks of any type of alcoholic
beverage?"
"In
your entire life, have you had at least 12 drinks
of any type of alcoholic beverage?"
Persons who report at
least 12 drinks in a
lifetime are then asked a series of questions about
alcohol consumption in the past year:
"In
the past year, how often
did you drink any type of alcoholic beverage?"
"In
the past year, on
those days that you drank alcoholic beverages, on the average, how many
drinks did you have?"
"In
the past year, on how many days did you have
5 or more drinks of any alcoholic beverage?"
National
Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) Starting in 1999, NHSDA information about the frequency of the consumption of alcoholic beverages
in the past 30 days was obtained for all persons 12 years of age and over. An extensive
list of examples of the kinds of beverages covered was given to
respondents prior to the question administration. A "drink" is
defined as a can or bottle
of beer, a glass of wine or a wine cooler, a shot
of liquor, or a mixed drink with liquor in it. Those times when the
respondent had only a sip or two from a drink are not considered consumption.
Alcohol use is based on the following questions:
"During
the past 30 days, on how many days did you drink one or more drinks
of an alcoholic beverage?"
"On
the days that you drank during
the past 30 days, how many drinks did you usually have?"
"During
the past 30 days, on how many days did you have 5 or more drinks
on the same occasion?"